


The Red of the Rising Sun

by Abigail (artyandabby)



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Other, Pre-The Blood of Olympus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-09
Packaged: 2018-02-28 19:50:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2744930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artyandabby/pseuds/Abigail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy doesn't seem quite right, and Frank and Hazel aren't about to let him suffer in silence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Red of the Rising Sun

The air was cold and clear, and Hazel rubbed her fingers together, trying to get warm. The air of an ocean should not have stung like that, yet it did, and she would take chilly fingers over the smell of the bathrooms.  
Hazel wanted to enjoy the short reprieve from seasickness, but she was finding it hard. The figure at the bow of the boat kept drawing her eyes. He had been standing there like that since Annabeth had gone off to bed, staring out at the horizon.  
She hadn’t spoken to Percy since screaming at him to keep Annabeth from falling. That hadn’t exactly worked out well.  
Scenes from the Necromanteion kept playing behind her eyelids. Some made her happy. Some made her want to throw up.  
Hazel had gotten so used to seeing Percy as strong. She’d almost forgotten he ever had problems. Claiming the praetorship, horsing around about the merfolk not wanting to meet him, tricking Chrysaor-he’d seemed fine. She had even stopped worrying about him and the water.  
But when he and Annabeth fell out of the Doors….  
Hazel couldn’t remember seeing someone so fragile since her days back in Alaska. Some of the poorer folk in her hometown had that look, the same look Nico had when he had finally gotten out of that jar. Shattered, inside.  
He looked so incredibly solitary there at the edge of the ship. With Annabeth gone, he was finishing up the watch on his own, and Hazel wasn’t about to leave a friend alone.  
She pushed away from the guardrail, careful to keep her eyes mostly on the unmoving horizon. He didn’t look at her when she approached him. “How are you doing?”  
“Fine, I guess.” His voice was surprisingly steady. “I mean, I’m not exactly mint condition, but I’m...I’m good.”  
“It’s all right if you’re not.”  
Percy glanced down at the water like he expected to see something there. “I know.”  
“You know, your shift is almost over.” His eyes were still on the water. Hazel’s stomach curdled with anxiety. What was he looking for down there? What did he think he was seeing? “Frank will be up in a few minutes. Maybe you should go to bed.”  
“Hazel, I’m okay.” Percy said, a little forcefully.  
Hazel stepped back. “I think I’ll go wake Frank.” She turned, still feeling sick. Maybe it was the gentle rocking of the Argo II, maybe not. She got the distinct feeling Percy didn’t want her-or anyone-around. That was fine. He could cope on his own. He had lived through more, after all. He knew how to heal.  
“Hey.”  
Hazel turned back towards him.  
Percy wasn’t looking at her, but his hand was outstretched. “I’m sorry.”  
When he looked up, Hazel felt like the fist of a giant had landed in her gut.  
There it was, in his eyes.  
Percy stepped toward her. “I’m sorry.” He repeated.  
Hazel smiled. “I know.”  
His voice was doubtful. “I’d like to be okay.”  
Hazel took his hand. “You will be. Trust me.”  
The trapdoor creaked open then, and Frank crawled out. He smiled tentatively. “Hey.”  
Percy extended a hand. “Come join us.”  
Frank lumbered over like a curious bear. Hazel hid a smile. She knew now wasn’t really the time to note Frank’s literally enormous cuteness, yet she couldn’t quite ignore it.  
“Your shift was up a while ago, wasn’t it?” Frank asked.  
Percy laughed quietly. “Yeah. I elected against trying to go to sleep.”  
“We were talking.” Hazel explained.  
Frank leaned against the guardrail next to Percy. “About what?”  
Percy’s smile flickered. “About...Tartarus.”  
“Tartarus.” Frank stared at his shoes. “Wide topic.”  
“You’re not kidding.”  
“He’s taking it all in stride.” Hazel commented. She squeezed Percy’s hand. “Like a hero.”  
“Like a hero should.” Percy replied quietly.  
Frank’s eyes were on Hazel, calm and introspective. The light of the rising sun caught gold flecks in the teak brown, making it look like he shone from the inside. “Heroes do a lot of things, Percy. Some they should, and some they shouldn’t.” He met Hazel’s gaze. “A wise person once told me that sharing a burden can make it a lot lighter.” He shifted again, and the light was gone from his eyes. He was shy, awkward Frank again, looking at his sneakers. Hazel smiled wider. “I just thought you might like to consider it.”  
Percy’s skin was tinged bloody red from the incoming light. “You know, I’d expected more questions. From all of you.”  
“What?” Frank glanced up, confused.  
“About how it was. What monsters I slayed. The near-death experiences.” His laugh was brittle. “Big fun.”  
Frank was quiet for a moment, looking at Hazel again. Then he stepped closer and took Percy’s other hand. Percy’s fingers looked as small as Hazel’s in Frank’s huge grip. “I guess it was a little different.”  
“A little…” Percy’s eyes unfocused, and Hazel felt sudden, blind fear in the center of her chest.  
She tightened her hold on his hand until it was almost painful. “Don’t think about it.” She ordered.  
Percy jumped, snapping to.  
Hazel laughed nervously. “We can’t have you slipping away from us.” Her heart ached almost physically as she refrained from adding, Like I did.  
He nodded, eyes down.  
There was a long silence, and then Percy said softly, “Thank you, guys.”  
“What for?” Hazel asked.  
He leaned down enough to reach and kissed her lightly on the forehead, just below her curls. “For trying.”  
Frank didn’t reply, but he slid silently closer to them. Hazel leaned her head on Percy’s shoulder and, hands still linked, they stood together and watched the sun come up.


End file.
